If You Only Knew

A wife, a mother, a killer.

One wrong decision, one terrifying night, leaves student Elizabeth with a stark choice – kill or be killed. And the consequences of that choice will shape her whole life.

Now a wife, a mother, and a lawyer, she must find a way to outrun her past, protect her family and live with her secret. But is it really possible to live a happy life with such a huge shadow cast by the past? And as it becomes clear that someone else knows her secret and is hunting her down, time is running out for Elizabeth to keep her family safe.

In the bestselling tradition of Clare Mackintosh and Jenny Blackhurst, Cynthia Clark has written a heart-stopping story about the choices we make and how far we'd go to protect our families. Even if it means deceiving the people we love most...

*May Contain Spoilers*

Cynthia Clark shares a story of survival and secrecy with her book If You Only Knew. When Liz was a young girl in college, she was kidnapped and raped. In saving her own life, she killed the man who attacked her and ran away - keeping what happened, and the baby that was a result of it, a secret. But now, the truth is about to come out. 

First off, I know that Clark writes Liz's actions in a way that readers certainly are able to understand her motives. But, that being said, it is definitely not okay that she didn't contact the police, especially when a man's life was taken after what he did to her. I think not involving the police just made the whole thing even harder for Liz. It became a secret shame that she kept from everyone, even her husband, and I think it just made her life harder when she could have dealt with it. I understand why she did it -- she was afraid -- but it was definitely not the right move. 

Now, years later, Liz is still trying to hide it - her past and her true self - from everyone she knows. And if this isn't bad enough, she forced her husband to move into the same neighborhood as the daughter she gave up for adoption. Though Liz is an interesting character and the story is quite thrilling, I just don't understand why Liz builds her life out of lies. Even though Liz is a likeable character, I think the fact that she has the reader's empathy from the very beginning is the main reason readers would hope she didn't get caught. But what kind of story would it be if she didn't? The fact that she does get caught is what forces her to move forward in her life and deal with her past and her issues. 

Though I may be the only one who looks at Liz this way, I can't help but think she made a huge mistake in not trusting the police when it would have been obvious what happened. Though I did want her story to resolve happily, I kind of wanted her to get caught so it would all just be out in the open. I don't think using self-defense to protect oneself makes someone a murderer or a killer in the way that Liz seemed to think. 

Besides that disagreement I had with how Liz handled things, I really enjoyed the book. It was a little nerve-wracking and a little scary. I felt like everything was going to come crashing down at any moment and when it did - it was almost a relief. I was actually more interested in what Liz would do and what would happen after her secret was out and I think it pushed me to read a little bit faster towards the end of the book. I think readers who enjoy thrillers, women's fiction, and like being pushed to their nail-biting limits will enjoy reading this book. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

The Victim

In the spring of 2003 on a desolate stretch of Arizona highway, Anton Mackey’s life was changed forever. A reckless decision to get behind the wheel when he was in no condition to drive spawned a moment that threatened to destroy everything the 21 year-old had spent his life working toward. In an instant, Anton made a decision to save himself. A decision that claimed the lives of two people.

Eleven years later, Anton is a rising star in the Miami criminal defense community. He is married and has an infant daughter. He is earning a good living and steadily building a name for himself as an aggressive advocate for the accused. Anton shares an office with veteran defense attorney, Jack Savarese. A mentor of sorts, Anton strives to model his practice - and career - after Jack’s. A Miami criminal defense legend, Jack’s accomplishments in the courtroom are second to none. However, Jack remains burdened by the conviction of Osvaldo Garcia, a mentally-ill client from ten years earlier found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for the death of a troubled teen.

When Daniella Avery, the beautiful wife of a man accused of a heinous act of domestic violence, comes into Anton’s office seeking his services, Anton thinks he’s landed a great case with a great fee. But when he succumbs to temptation, he realizes that Daniella is a figure from his past.

Anton finds himself caught between the possibility of being exposed and the fact that his client - Daniella’s husband - may be an innocent pawn in the victim’s attempt to carry out her revenge against Anton. As Anton struggles to balance defending his client while concealing the secret he has sought to forget, he uncovers the truth behind what really happened on that highway eleven years earlier. The truth that may be connected to the conviction of Osvaldo Garcia.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

The label of victim is sometimes easy to assign, though that isn't the case in Eric Matheny's novel, The Victim. By definition, a victim is someone who has endured harm. But when each character has been dealt horror by other characters, who is considered the hero, the villain? Matheny challenges readers to judge his characters, tally their crimes, and bear witness to tragedy and revenge and terror. And, no, it won't be easy.

 

Anton Mackey, successful lawyer, proud father, understanding husband.

Murderer.

A man who thinks that the past will never catch up to him though he's still inhaling smoke from the fire he set. Anton is a character that straddles the fence between good and bad. Readers will see his crimes, see his punishment. Though he is a likeable character, his misdeeds weigh heavily. Anton is strong, brave, understanding, and in his own way, loving. He's also a liar, a criminal, self-preserving. Readers will struggle to understand their feelings about his character. I didn't like him through most of the novel, however his regret and sorrow did eventually win me over. Compared to Daniella, he does look like the hero, though scarred.

 

Daniella Avery, abused wife, scared woman, bruised, yet hopeful.

Liar.

Daniella is motivated by one thing: revenge. Revenge against the man who killed two people who mattered the most to her. She's devoted her entire life to finding justice. She wants Anton to break, to suffer. She sets up her husband in attempt to force Anton's hand. If he confesses to his crimes, she'll confess to hers. Like I said, Matheny doesn't make this easy for his readers. Daniella is not a likeable character, nor is she completely sane. But therein lies the blur. The inability to cast all the blame on her. She may be vengeful and angry and a murderer herself, but it isn't cut and dry. There are no simple solutions to this chaos.

 

The Victim is a novel of interweaving madness. When Anton takes the case of Bryan Avery he assumes that this man is guilty of beating and nearly killing his wife. Then Daniella admits to making the whole thing up, lying to the police, knowing about Anton's  past decision to destroy evidence and therefore killing two people. Anton believes that he can fight his way through this, use his lawyer training and quick wit to catch Daniella in a lie and save his client. He believes that he can win though the odds are stacked against him. Daniella has had eleven years to plan. Every movement. Every word. Trapped in a situation where there are no winners, the fight becomes a desperate need to survive and readers will find themselves lost in a wreck that threatens no survivors.

 

Rating: 4/5 Cups